Liber XV
O.T.O.
Ecclesiae Gnosticae Catholicae
Canon Missae

[ALEISTER CROWLEY, 1913]

I
OF THE FURNISHINGS OF THE TEMPLE

IN THE EAST, that is, in the direction of Boleskine, which is
situated on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Ness in Scotland, two
miles east of Foyers, is a shrine or High Altar. Its dimensions
should be 7 feet in length, 3 feet in breadth, 44 inches in height.
It should be covered with a crimson altar-cloth, on which may be
embroidered fleur-de-lys in gold, or a sunblaze, or other suitable
emblem.

On each side of it should be a pillar or obelisk, with countercharges
in black and white.

Below it should be the dais of three steps, in black and white
squares.

Above it is the super-altar, at whose top is the Stèle of
Revealing in reproduction, with four candles on each side of it.
Below the stèle is a place for The Book of the Law, with six
candles on each side of it. Below this again is the Holy Graal, with
roses on each side of it. There is room in front of the Cup for the
Paten. On each side beyond the roses are two great candles.

All this is enclosed within a great Veil.

Forming the apex of an equilateral triangle whose base is a line
drawn between the pillars, is a small black square altar, of
superimposed cubes.

Taking this altar as the middle of the base of a similar and equal
triangle, at the apex of this second triangle is a small circular
font.

Repeating, the apex of a third triangle is an upright coffin, or
Tomb.

II
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE MASS

The PRIEST. Bears the Sacred Lance, and is clothed at first in a
plain white robe.

The PRIESTESS. Should be actually Virgo Intacta or specially
dedicated to the service of the Great Order. She is clothed in white,
blue, and gold. She bears the Sword from a red girdle, and the Paten
and Hosts, or Cakes of Light.

The DEACON. He is clothed in white and yellow. He bears The
Book of the Law.

Two CHILDREN. They are clothed in white and black. One bears a
pitcher of water and a cellar of salt, the other a censer of fire and
a casket of perfume.

III
OF THE CEREMONY OF THE INTROIT

The DEACON, opening the door of the Temple, admits the
congregation and takes his stand between the small altar and the
font. (There should be a doorkeeper to attend to the admission.)

The DEACON advances and bows before the open shrine where the Graal
is exalted. He kisses The Book of the Law three times, opens it, and
places it upon the super-altar. He turns West.

The DEACON: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I proclaim the Law of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty in the name
of.

The CONGREGATION: Love is the law, love under
will.

The DEACON goes to his place between the altar of incense and the
font, faces East, and gives the step and sign of a Man and a Brother.
All imitate him.

The DEACON and all the PEOPLE: I believe in one secret and
ineffable LORD; and in one Star in the Company of Stars of whose fire
we are created, and to which we shall return; and in one Father of
Life, Mystery of Mystery, in His name CHAOS, the sole viceregent of
the Sun upon the Earth; and in one Air the nourisher of all that
breathes.

And I believe in one Earth, the Mother of us all, and in one Womb
wherein all men are begotten, and wherein they shall rest, Mystery of
Mystery, in Her name BABALON.

And I believe in the Serpent and the Lion, Mystery of Mystery, in His
name BAPHOMET.

And I believe in one Gnostic and Catholic Church of Light, Life, Love
and Liberty, the Word of whose Law is THELEMA.

And I believe in the communion of Saints.

And, forasmuch as meat and drink are transmuted in us daily into
spiritual substance, I believe in the Miracle of the Mass.

And I confess one Baptism of Wisdom whereby we accomplish the Miracle
of Incarnation.

And I confess my life one, individual, and eternal that was, and is,
and is to come.

[AUMGN. AUMGN. AUMGN.]

Music is now played. The child enters with the ewer and the salt. The
VIRGIN enters with the Sword and the Paten. The child enters with the
censer and the perfume. They face the DEACON, deploying into line,
from the space between the two altars.

The VIRGIN: Greeting of Earth and Heaven!

All give the Hailing Sign of a Magician, the DEACON leading.

The PRIESTESS, the negative child on her left, the positive child on
her right, ascends the steps of the High Altar. They await her below.
She places the Paten before the Graal. Having adored it, she
descends, and with the children following her, the positive next her,
she moves in a serpentine manner involving 3 and a half circles of
the Temple. (Deosil about altar, widdershins about font, deosil about
altar and font, widdershins about altar, and so to the Tomb in the
West.) She draws her Sword and pulls down the Veil therewith.

The PRIESTESS: By the power of + Iron, I say unto thee,
Arise. In the name of our Lord the + Sun, and of our Lord + ..., that
thou mayst administer the virtues to the Brethren.

She sheathes the Sword.

The PRIEST, issuing from the Tomb, holding the Lance erect with both
hands, right over left, against his breast, takes the first three
regular steps. He then gives the Lance to the PRIESTESS, and gives
the three penal signs.

He then kneels and worships the Lance with both hands.

Penitential music.

The PRIEST: I am a man among men.

He takes again the Lance, and lowers it. He rises.

The PRIEST: How should I be worthy to administer the virtues
to the Brethren?

The PRIESTESS takes from the child the water and the salt, and mixes
them in the font.

The PRIESTESS: Let the salt of Earth admonish the water to
bear the virtue of the Great Sea. (Genuflects.) Mother, be thou
adored.

She returns to the West. + on PRIEST with open hand doth she make,
over his forehead, breast, and body.

Be the PRIEST pure of body and soul!

The PRIESTESS takes the censer from the child, and places it on the
small altar. She puts incense therein.

Let the Fire and the Air make sweet the world!
(Genuflects.)

Father, be thou adored.

She returns West, and makes + with the censer before the PRIEST,
thrice as before.

Be the PRIEST fervent of body and soul!

(The children resume their weapons as they are done with.)

The DEACON now takes the consecrated Robe from High Altar, and brings
it to her. She robes the PRIEST in his Robe of scarlet and gold.

Be the flame of the Sun thine ambience, O thou PRIEST of the
SUN!

The DEACON brings the crown from the High Altar. (The crown may be of
gold or platinum, or of electrum magicum; but with no other metals,
save the small proportions necessary to a proper alloy. It may be
adorned with divers jewels, at will But it must have the Uraeus
serpent twined about it, and the cap of maintenance must match the
scarlet of the Robe. Its texture should be velvet.)

Be the Serpent thy crown, O thou PRIEST of the
LORD!

Kneeling, she takes the Lance, between her open hands, and runs them
up and down upon the shaft eleven times, very gently.

Be the LORD present among us!

All give the Hailing Sign.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

IV
OF THE CEREMONY OF THE OPENING OF THE VEIL

The PRIEST: Thee therefore whom we adore we also invoke.
By the power of the lifted Lance!

He raises the Lance. All repeat Hailing Sign.

A phrase of triumphant music.

The PRIEST takes the PRIESTESS by her right hand with his left,
keeping the Lance raised.

I, PRIEST and KING, take thee, Virgin pure without spot; I
upraise thee; I lead thee to the East; I set thee upon the summit of
the Earth.

He thrones the PRIESTESS upon the altar. The DEACON and the children
follow, they in rank, behind him. The PRIESTESS takes The Book of the
Law, resumes her seat, and holds it open on her breast with her two
hands, making a descending triangle with thumbs and forefingers.

The PRIEST gives the lance to the DEACON to hold, and takes the ewer
from the child, and sprinkles the PRIESTESS, making five crosses,
forehead, shoulders, and thighs.

The thumb of the PRIEST is always between his index and medius,
whenever he is not holding the Lance. The PRIEST takes the censer
from the child, and makes five crosses, as before. The children
replace their weapons on their respective altars.

The PRIEST kisses The Book of the Law three times. He kneels for a
space in adoration, with joined hands, knuckles closed, thumb in
position aforesaid.

He rises, and draws the veil over the whole altar.

All rise and stand to order.

The PRIEST takes the lance from the DEACON, and holds it as before,
as Osiris or Ptah. He circumambulates the Temple three times,
followed by the DEACON and the children as before. (These, when not
using their hands, keep their arms crossed upon their breasts.)

At the last circumambulation they leave him, and go to the place
between the font and the small altar, where they kneel in adoration,
their hands joined palm to palm, and raised above their heads.

All imitate this motion.

The PRIEST returns to the East, and mounts the first step of the
altar.

The PRIEST: O circle of Stars whereof our Father is but the
younger brother, marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space,
before whom Time is Ashamed, the mind bewildered, and the
understanding dark, not unto Thee may we attain, unless Thine image
be Love. Therefore by seed and root and stem and bud and leaf and
flower and fruit do we invoke Thee.

"Then the priest answered & said unto the Queen of Space, kissing
her lovely brows, and the dew of her light bathing his whole body in
a sweet-smelling perfume of sweat; O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven,
let it be ever thus; that men speak not of thee as One but as None;
and let them speak not of thee at all, since thou art
continuous!"

During this speech the PRIESTESS must have divested herself
completely of her robe. See CCXX I:62.

The PRIESTESS: "But to love me is better than all things; if
under the night-stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine
incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the serpent
flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom. For one
kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all; but whoso gives one
particle of dust shall lose all in that hour. Ye shall gather goods
and store of women and spices; ye shall wear rich jewels; ye shall
exceed the nations of the earth in splendour and pride; but always in
the love of me, and so shall ye come to my joy. I charge you
earnestly to come before me in a single robe, and covered with a rich
head-dress. I love you! I yearn to you! Pale or purple, veiled or
voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the
innermost sense, desire you. Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled
splendour within you: come unto me! "To me! To me!" "Sing the
raptuous love-song unto me! Burn to me perfumes! Wear to me jewels!
Drink to me, for I love you! I love you. I am the blue-lidded
daughter of sunset; I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous
night-sky. To me! To me!"

The PRIEST mounts the second step.

The PRIEST: O secret of secrets that art hidden in the being
of all that lives, not Thee do we adore, for that which adoreth is
also Thou. Thou art That, and That am I.

"I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of
every star. I am Life, and the giver of Life; yet therefore is the
knowledge of me the knowledge of death. I am alone; there is no God
where I am."

The DEACON and all rise to their feet, with the Hailing sign.

The DEACON: "But ye, O my people rise up and awake!
"Let the rituals be rightly performed with joy and beauty!
"There are rituals of the elements and feasts of the times.
"A feast for the first night of the Prophet and his Bride!
"A feast for the three days of the writing of the Book of the
Law.
"A feast for Tahuti and the children of the Prophet; secret, O
Prophet!
"A feast for the Supreme Ritual, and a feast for the Equinox of the
Gods.
"A feast for fire and a feast for water; a feast for life and a
greater feast for death!
"A feast every day in your hearts in the joy of my rapture!
"A feast every night unto Nu, and the pleasure of uttermost
delight!"

The PRIEST mounts the third step.

The PRIEST: Thou that art One, our Lord in the Universe the
Sun, our Lord in ourselves whose name is Mystery of Mystery,
uttermost being whose radiance enlightening the worlds is also the
breath that maketh every God even and Death to tremble before Thee.
By the Sign of Light + appear Thou glorious upon the throne of the
Sun.

Make open the path of creation and of intelligence between us and our
minds. Enlighten our understanding.

The PRIESTESS is seated with the Paten in her right hand and the cup
in her left.

The PRIEST presents the Lance, which she kisses eleven times.

She then holds it to her breast, while the PRIEST, falling at her
knees, kisses them, his arms stretched along her thighs. He remains
in this adoration while the DEACON intones the Collects.

All stand to order, with the Dieu Garde, that is, feet square, hands,
with linked thumbs, held loosely. This is the universal position when
standing, unless other direction is given.

V
OF THE OFFICE OF THE COLLECTS WHICH ARE ELEVEN IN NUMBER

The Sun

The DEACON: Lord visible and sensible of whom this earth
is but a frozen spark turning about thee with annual and diurnal
motion, source of light, source of life, let thy perpetual radiance
hearten us to continual labour and enjoyment; so that as we are
constant partakers of thy bounty we may in our particular orbit give
out light and life, sustenance and joy to them that revolve about us
without diminution of substance or effulgence for ever.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The Lord

The DEACON: Lord secret and most holy, source of life,
source of love, source of liberty, be thou ever constant and mighty
within us, force of energy, fire of motion; with diligence let us
ever labour with thee, that we may remain in thine abundant
joy.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The Moon

The DEACON: Lady of night, that turning ever about us art
now visible and now invisible in thy season, be thou favourable to
hunters, and lovers, and to all men that toil upon the earth, and to
all mariners upon the sea.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The Lady

The DEACON: Giver and receiver of joy, gate of life and
love, be thou ever ready, thou and thine handmaiden, in thine office
of gladness.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The Saints

The DEACON: Lord of Life and Joy, that art the might of
man, that art the essence of every true god that is upon the surface
of the Earth, continuing knowledge from generation unto generation,
thou adored of us upon heaths and in woods, on mountains and in
caves, openly in the marketplaces and secretly in the chambers of our
houses, in temples of gold and ivory and marble as in these other
temples of our bodies, we worthily commemorate them worthy that did
of old adore thee and manifest they glory unto men,

(At each name the DEACON signs + with thumb between index and medius.
At ordinary mass it is only necessary to commemorate those whose
names are italicized, with wording as is shown.)

May their Essence be here present, potent, puissant and paternal to
perfect this feast!

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The Earth

The DEACON: Mother of fertility on whose breast lieth
water, whose cheek is caressed by air, and in whose heart is the suns
fire, womb of all life, recurring grace of seasons, answer favorably
the prayer of labour, and to pastors and husbandmen be thou
propitious.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The Principles

The DEACON: Mysterious Energy, triform, mysterious Matter,
in fourfold and sevenfold division, the interplay of which things
weave the dance of the Veil of Life upon the Face of the Spirit, let
there be Harmony and Beauty in your mystic loves, that in us may be
health and wealth and strength and divine pleasure according to the
Law of Liberty; let each pursue his Will as a strong man that
rejoiceth in his way, as the course of a Star that blazeth for ever
among the joyous company of Heaven.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

Birth

The DEACON: Be the hour auspicious, and the gate of life
open in peace and in well-being, so that she that beareth children
may rejoice, and the babe catch life with both hands.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

Marriage

The DEACON: Upon all that this day unite with love under
will let fall success; may strength and skill unite to bring forth
ecstasy, and beauty answer beauty.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

Death

All stand, Head erect, Eyes open.

The DEACON: Term of all that liveth, whose name is
inscrutable, be favourable unto us in thine hour.

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

The End

The DEACON: Unto them from whose eyes the veil of life
hath fallen may there be granted the accomplishment of their true
Wills; whether they will absorption in the Infinite, or to be united
with their chosen and preferred, or to be in contemplation, or to be
at peace, or to achieve the labour and heroism of incarnation on this
planet or another, or in any Star, or aught else, unto them may there
be granted the accomplishment of their wills; yea, the accomplishment
of their wills.

[AUMGN. AUMGN. AUMGN.]

The PEOPLE: So mote it be.

All sit.

The DEACON and the children attend the PRIEST and PRIESTESS, ready to
hold any appropriate weapon as may be necessary.

VI
OF THE CONSECRATION OF THE ELEMENTS

The PRIEST makes the five crosses. on paten and cup;
+ 4 on paten alone; + 5 on cup alone.

The PRIEST: Life of man upon earth, fruit of labour,
sustenance of endeavour, thus be thou nourishment of the
Spirit!

Vehicle of the joy of Man upon earth, solace of labour,
inspiration of endeavour, thus be thou ecstasy of the
Spirit!

He touches the Cup with the Lance.

By the virtue of the Rod!
Be this wine the Blood of God!

He takes the Cup.

[TOUTO ESTI TO POTERION TOU HAIMATOS MOU.]

He kneels, adores, rises, turns, shows the Cup to the PEOPLE, turns
replaces the Cup, and adores. Music.

For this is the Covenant of Resurrection.

He makes the five crosses on the PRIESTESS.

Accept, O LORD, this sacrifice of life and joy, true warrants
of the Covenant of Resurrection.

The PRIEST offers the Lance to the PRIESTESS, who kisses it; he then
touches her between the breasts and upon the body. He then flings out
his arms upward, as comprehending the whole shrine.

Let this offering be borne upon the waves of Æthyr to
our Lord and Father the Sun that travelleth over the Heavens in his
name ON.

He closes his hands, kisses the PRIESTESS between the breasts, and
makes three great crosses over the Paten, the Cup, and himself. He
strikes his breast. All repeat this action.

Hear ye all, saints of the true church of old time now
essentially present, that of ye we claim heirship, with ye we claim
communion, from ye we claim benediction in the name of.

He makes three crosses on Paten and Cup together. He uncovers the
Cup, genuflects, takes the Cup in his left hand and the Host in his
right. With the Host he makes the five crosses on the Cup.

He elevates the Host and the Cup. The Bell strikes.

[HAGIOS HAGIOS HAGIOS IAO!]

He replaces the Host and the Cup, and adores.

VII
OF THE OFFICE OF THE ANTHEM

The PRIEST:

Thou who art I, beyond all I am,
Who hast no nature and no name,
Who art, when all but Thou are gone,
Thou, centre and secret of the Sun,
Thou, hidden spring of all things known
And unknown, Thou aloof, alone,
Thou, the true fire within the reed
Brooding and breeding, source and seed
Of life, love, liberty, and light,
Thou beyond speech and beyond sight,
Thee I invoke, my faint fresh fire
Kindling as mine intents aspire.
Thee I invoke, abiding one,
Thee, centre and secret of the Sun,
And that most holy mystery
Of which the vehicle am I.
Appear, most awful and most mild,
As it is lawful, in thy child!

The CHORUS:

For of the Father and the Son
The Holy Spirit is the norm;
Male-female, quintessential, one,
Man-being veiled in Woman-form.
Glory and worship in the highest,
Thou Dove, mankind that deifiest,
Being that race, most royally run
To spring sunshine through winter storm.
Glory and worship be to Thee,
Sap of the world-ash, wonder-tree!

(These words are to form the substance of the anthem; but the whole
or any part thereof shall be set to music, which may be as elaborate
as art can devise. But even should other anthems be authorized by the
Father of the Church, this shall hold its place as the first of its
kind, the father of all others.)

VIII
OF THE MYSTIC MARRIAGE AND CONSUMMATION OF THE ELEMENTS

The PRIEST takes the Paten between the index and medius of the
right hand.

The PRIESTESS clasps the Cup in her right hand.

The PRIEST: Lord most secret, bless this spiritual food unto
our bodies, bestowing upon us health and wealth and strength and joy
and peace, and that fulfilment of will and of love under will that is
perpetual happiness.

The PRIEST: O Lion and O Serpent that destroy the destroyer,
be mighty among us.
O Lion and O Serpent that destroy the destroyer, be mighty among
us.
O Lion and O Serpent that destroy the destroyer, be mighty among
us.

The PRIEST joins hands upon the breast of the PRIESTESS, and takes
back his Lance.

He turns to the People, lowers and raises the Lance, and makes + upon
them.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The PEOPLE: Love is the law, love under will.

He lowers the Lance, and turns to East.

The PRIESTESS takes the Lance in her right hand. With her left hand
she offers the Paten.

The PRIEST kneels.

The PRIEST: In my mouth be the essence of the life of the
Sun.

He takes the Host with the right hand, makes + with it on the Paten,
and consumes it.

Silence.

The PRIESTESS takes, uncovers, and offers the Cup, as before.

The PRIEST: In my mouth be the essence of the joy of the
earth!

He takes the Cup, makes + on the PRIESTESS, drains it and returns
it.

Silence.

He rises, takes the Lance, and turns to the PEOPLE.

The PRIEST: There is no part of me that is not of the
Gods.

(Those of the PEOPLE who intend to communicate, and none other should
be present, having signified their intention, a whole Cake of Light,
and a whole goblet of wine, have been prepared for each one. The
DEACON marshals them; they advance one by one to the altar. The
children take the Elements and offer them. The PEOPLE communicate as
did the PRIEST, uttering the same words in an attitude of
Resurrection: "There is no part of me that is not of the Gods." The
exceptions to this part of the ceremony are when it is of the nature
of a celebration, in which case none but the PRIEST communicate; or
part of the ceremony of marriage, when none other, save the two to be
married, partake; part of the ceremony of baptism, when only the
child baptised partakes; and of Confirmation at puberty, when only
the persons confirmed partake. The Sacrament may be reserved by the
PRIEST, for administration to the sick in their homes.